Huanglong National Scenic Area

Spot Facts

1. Visitor Center

   Start · Entrance
2. Huanglong Cable Car

   about 1970 m (straight line) from the previous stop · Junction
3. Five-Color Pools

   about 3750 m (straight line) from the previous stop · Sight

   Take the cableway straight up to the upper reaches of Huanglong Valley, then walk to Five-Color Pool—the iconic landscape of Huanglong: hundreds of travertine pools cascade in layers, their water showing blue, green, yellow, and white in the sunlight, like a fairy pond fallen to earth. About 1.5 hours. Why this route: Five-Color Pool is the soul of Huanglong; overlooking the pool cluster from above, the brilliance of the colors takes your breath away.
4. Zhengyan Pools

   about 1740 m (straight line) from the previous stop · Sight

   Walk down the boardwalk past Zhengyan Pool (dense, vividly colored pools), Bonsai Pool (old trees in the pools like bonsai), and Jinsha Pudi (golden travertine flows), a view at every step. About 1.5 hours. Why this route: the descent offers continuous scenery; the diversity of travertine flows and colored pools is what sets Huanglong apart from other pool scenic areas.
5. Yingbin Pools

   about 1370 m (straight line) from the previous stop · Sight

   Reach Yingbin Pool near the valley mouth, the first group of colored pools entering Huanglong, brimming with water and reflecting snow mountains; look back here before leaving the valley to complete the Huanglong trip. About 30 minutes. Why this route: Yingbin Pool closes the Huanglong journey, with a serene and beautiful scene of snow mountains reflected in the colored pools.

Things to Note